How to Extract Contacts From OST File
In short: To extract contacts from OST file, the free route is Outlook: File, Open and Export, Import/Export, then Export to a file, then Comma Separated Values, then pick the Contacts folder to save a CSV. That needs Outlook with the account working, so it will not touch an orphaned OST. A tool reads an orphaned or corrupted OST directly and exports the contacts to CSV or VCF in bulk, with no Outlook.
Before you start: CSV or vCard, plus what you need
Two quick decisions shape the method. First, the format. CSV is a spreadsheet of contacts that Google Contacts, Outlook and most tools import, so it is best for a whole address book. vCard, the .vcf format, suits phones, iCloud and single shares. Second, the state of the OST. If Outlook is installed and the account still connects, its built-in export works. If the OST is orphaned, its account gone or unreachable, Outlook cannot open it at all, so you need a tool. That orphaned case is common, since a broken account is often the reason people go digging for their contacts.
Senior Analyst, Corbett Software
“The manual export is fine until the OST is orphaned, when it simply will not open. The other catch is vCards, since Outlook saves them one contact at a time. A tool that reads the OST directly is the only clean way to get a whole address book of vCards or to handle an orphaned file.”
Extract contacts with Outlook to CSV
If Outlook has the account and the OST is live, this exports the whole Contacts folder to a CSV.
- In Outlook, go to File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export.
- Choose Export to a file, then Comma Separated Values.
- Select the Contacts folder under your account.
- Click Browse, pick a location and name, then Finish to save the CSV.
For a single contact as a vCard, open the contact and use Save As, then vCard. Outlook cannot save the whole folder as vCards at once, so for bulk vCards use the tool below.
Extract contacts without Outlook with a tool
When the OST is orphaned or you want every contact as a vCard, a tool reads the file directly and writes the contacts out.
The Corbett OST Converter opens an OST with no Outlook or Exchange, previews the Contacts folder, then exports every contact to CSV or vCard in one pass. It reads orphaned and inaccessible OST files, keeps names, emails, phones and addresses, then can also pull out emails, calendars and attachments. A free demo edition lets you preview the contacts first and runs on every edition of Windows.
- Install and open the tool, click Open, choose Email Data Files, then OST Files, then select your OST.
- Open the Contacts folder in the preview to check them.
- Click Export, choose CSV or vCard, pick a location, then Save.
Import the contacts where you need them
Once you have the file, load it into your address book of choice.
- Google Contacts: open contacts.google.com, then Import, then choose your CSV or vCard.
- Outlook: use Import/Export, then Import from another program or file, then Comma Separated Values for a CSV.
- iCloud or phone: import the vCard, which iPhone and iCloud read natively.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract contacts from an OST file?
With Outlook and a working account, use Import/Export, Export to a file, Comma Separated Values, then pick the Contacts folder to save a CSV. For an orphaned OST, a tool reads the file and exports the contacts without Outlook.
Can I extract contacts from an orphaned OST?
Not with Outlook, since it cannot open an orphaned file. A tool reads the OST directly, without the account or Exchange, then exports the contacts to CSV or vCard.
How do I get all my OST contacts as vCards?
Outlook saves vCards one contact at a time, so for a whole folder use a tool that exports the Contacts folder to vCard in bulk. It writes one VCF per contact or a single combined file.
Should I export contacts as CSV or vCard?
Use CSV for a spreadsheet and for importing into Google Contacts or Outlook. Use vCard for phones, iCloud and single shares. A tool can write either.
Do I need Outlook installed to extract OST contacts?
Only for the manual Import/Export route. A tool reads the OST directly, so you can extract contacts with no Outlook and no Exchange connection.
Does extracting change my OST file?
No. Both Outlook’s export and a converter only read the OST. The original file stays as it is, so the contacts go to a new CSV or vCard.